We continued the game, Owen spun the bottle, and it pointed to Paul.

Owen smirked. “Shirt off, do dix push-ups ”

Paul peeled off his shirt, dropped to the floor, and flexed like he was auditioning for a thirst trap commercial.

Every girl in the room sighed dreamily. Including me. Sue me, abs are abs.

Nate scoffed, loudly. “Pathetic. Drooling on that bare chest, surely if you saw my body, you’d faint.”

“Really?” Paul’s face darkened.

Great. Now we were about to witness a testosterone war.

Paul got up feeling insulted, went back to sit and spun the bottle. It landed on Nate.

“Shit,” Nate muttered, already grumpy. “Fine. Dare me. I don’t do the truth. Truth is for weak boys. I’m a man.” Nate sneered.

"Wait, let me think, "Paul said, scratching his head.

"What are you thinking of?" Violet asked.

"Revenge." Paul smiled devilishly .

"Revenge?" we all chorused looking at each other.

When I mean all, I meant all except Nate.

“Perfect." Paul’s smirk went full villain mode.

"Nate I dare you to go on a date with Mirabelle"

“Me?” I squeaked, pointing at myself like maybe there was another Mirabelle hiding behind me.

Paul nodded. “Yup. You and Nate. A date.”

“What?!” Nate shot up. “No way. "You gotta be kidding me, I'm not going on a date with her!"

“Dare rules,” Paul said smugly. “Unless you’re not a man.”

Owen chimed in, “Everyone else followed through. Don’t chicken out.”

But a date with Nate isn't such a bad idea, he is my crush, and going out with your crush is AWESOME!!!!

The room went still. You could practically taste the drama.

Clara coughed into the awkward silence. “Uh, I’ll take the dishes.” She stood up. "Babe, let's go together," her boyfriend, Owen, followed.

"It's hot here, Where is the AC remote?" Tina suddenly discovered a life-or-death need for the AC remote.

Dan followed her, dragging Violet along, Violet didn't want to go but he pulled her with force. Paul also left pretending he had a call.

And just like that, everyone bailed.

Leaving me with Nate.

Alone.

Oh hell!

I looked up, everyone rushed in "Really?" they chorused.

I looked up and saw Nate staring at me.

It was less romantic tension and more predator vs. prey.

*hey what's wrong with me, why will I allow someone like him to intimidate me, 'cause he is rich ? no way, nobody can look down on me*

I looked up, glaring at him. It became a tug of war

“Don’t look at me like that,” he said.

“You’re looking at me first,” I shot back.

*I will never back down, at least I own my eyes*

“Yeah, but I look better doing it.”

Oh my God. Someone muzzle him.

I opened my mouth to retort but remembered the two million dollar lawsuit threat. Right. Keep quiet, Mira. Smile. Play along.

So I smiled. Like an idiot, my fist clenched.

“Fine.” He sighed. "It's just a date."

The door flew open. Everyone stormed back in, chanting “Really?!” like a Greek chorus.

Nate’s glare shut them up instantly. “Do you want me to change my mind?”

“NO!” they all yelled.

Inside, I screamed. My crush. My celebrity crush. Was going on a date. With me.

Holy Shit!!!

Would it be a romantic dinner? A fancy rooftop bar? Or…oh God…sitting on a park bench listening to pigeons coo?

Whatever. It was happening. And I was already floating ten feet off the ground.

---

D-DAY.

The day came, I'm super excited but the thing is no dress. After demolishing my closet, all I had were faded jeans, stretched-out t-shirts, and things my grandma wouldn’t even wear to church.

I sat on the floor surrounded by rejected clothes, face buried in a tragic excuse for a dress.

“Mira? You going somewhere important?” Ella, my dad’s wife, popped her head in.

Ugh, What is she doing here?

“Mind your business,” I snapped, on the verge of tears. I can't screw this date, it's a once in a lifetime opportunity.

She stepped inside, all concerned with stepmom energy. “Don’t cry. What’s wrong? Did a boy break up with you? Is it school? Do you need money?” She leaned closer.

"You can tell me what's going on"

She knew I would never. I Don't share things with her.

“Ella, please. I need a dress, not therapy!”

She blinked. “Oh.”

I don't hate Ella, don't get me wrong but the thing is I see her as someone who came to take my mom's space.

The doorbell rang. My heart leapt. “Daddy?” I bolted to the door, yanked it open.

I froze at the person standing in front of me. It's not dad.

It was...

It was… strangers. In black suits. Standing like they’d just stepped out of a mafia movie.